Yes. China has also opened more coal power plants than the rest of the world combined over the past couple of years.

It should be clear from these three examples that some regulatory environments are more conducive to rapidly building infrastructure than others.

Not sure why that should be clear?

It’s not about the “regulatory environment”, which is almost irrelevant when talking about China. What’s driving this is state-led development with clear goals, like reaching peak carbon by 2030, a claim which they can actually back up with developments like these.

I don’t think Xi cares about carbon. He just wants to build as much power as possible so that China becomes an economic powerhouse (no pun intended). Imagine what would happen in Europe or the US if power is 1/5th the price or lower. It would open many opportunities for building and innovation.

Or he cares about both, but obviously prioritizes domestic energy security. Masses complained about air quality, hence move to renewables. Otherwise no reason to build out new plants that are more efficient / less poluting if old dirty one's suffices for occasional peaking. Or try to shift to renewables so fast that there were power shortages a couple summers ago due to adverse climate effects on generation . Or stop building 100s of billiions of dollars worth coal plants abroad as part of BRI.

IMO Xi/PRC is a little bit TOO magnanimous about enviroment / eliminating carbon. While US continues to increase (and now lead) in oil/lng exports, PRC is leaving good money on the table not building 1000s of coal plants abroad or exporting their centuries of thermal coal stock. That's the kind of irrational behaviour you expect from someone that cares about enviroment.

From what I’ve seen, they’ve extended their environmentalism to beyond carbon into the anti pollution in other forms. I agree regarding power cost though. That’s a huge missed opportunity in the west.

China is all in on renewables because their domestic fossil fuel resources are extremely limited. They import close to 100% of oil and gas and significant coal right now, basically the same situation the US was in before fracking took off. Xi is worried about being cut off from energy by an American blockade.

Correct. They’re building everything, clean or dirty, at a rapid pace. I wonder if they just skip over environmental concerns. In the US these would require a wildlife or wetlands study which take a long time

These coal plants are meant as backups. They specifically invented peakable coal plants so that they can fulfill that role. They even optimized the hell out of these coal plants: new Chinese coal plants are the most efficient in the world. These new coal plants also replace a bunch of older, more polluting plants.

A couple of years ago in China it was cloudy, non-windy, and dry at the same time for an extended period of time.

The energy transition isn't as simple as "build more solar, shut down coal".

I don't think it invalidates anything, they will shut those off if there isn't any use for them anymore.

Well, the incoming administration seems to be committed to simplifying the regulatory environment in the US too. What's still unclear is if it will also introduce a one-party system to better emulate the success of China?

How is success defined?